Washbasin



Dec. 13, 1938. E. A. CORBIN, JR V 1 7 wAsHBAsIN I Filed Feb. 11, 1937 2sneaks-sheet 1 Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES 'WASHBASIN Elbert A.Corbin, Jr., Morton, Pa., assignor of one-half to William C. Biddle,Lansdowne, Pa.

Application February 11, 1937, Serial No. 125,174

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful wash basin and it relates moreparticularly to a wash basin of an extremely simplified and integratedstructure which, in addition to economy in the cost of manufacture andassembly, is also easier to operate, keep clean, and which also presentsa particularly desirable appearance.

My invention still further relates to a wash basin in which the valvescontrolling the flow of 7. water, the valve for actuating the overflow,the

trap and the drain plug and their adjuncts may be applied to the basinor removed therefrom, as

a unit, by the mere detachment of a minimum number of screws or boltsand the disconnection of the water and waste connections.

My invention still further relates to a basin in which the means foractuating the water inlets and the drain are disposed flush with the topof basin thus, not only removing what has heretofore been a seriousobstruction from the standpoint of space, but also presenting amodernistic and streamlined appearance.

My invention still further relates to the combination of a basin of thischaracter with a novel valve construction which is extremely simple inconstruction, easy to operate, very durable and not susceptible togetting out of order.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will be more clearlyunderstood from the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a wash basin embodying my invention.

" Fig. 2 represents a front view partly in section and partly inelevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 represents, on an enlarged scale, a section on line 4'4 of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 represents, on an enlarged scale, a fragmentary sectional View ofone of the spigots forming part of the invention.

Fig. 6 represents a view in front elevation of the valve supportingbracket shown detached.

Fig. 7 represents, on an enlarged scale, a fragmentary view in verticalcross-section of one of the valves showing details of construction.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters representlike parts, I designates the bowl of the basin which is of any desiredshape and the back wall 2 of which is provided with the upper splashwall 3. 4 designates the overflow opening which leads into the overflowpipe 5 in the bottom of which is positioned the link 6 the upper end ofwhich engages the operating rod 1, and the other end of which is securedas at 8 to the drain plug 9. l designates a sleeve the upper end ofwhich forms a seat for the drain plug, said sleeve being threaded at Hto the horizontal extension l2 of the overflow pipe 5. l3 designates agasket between the flange M of the sleeve 10 and the shoulder I formed.in the underside of the bottom of the basin. [6 designates a removableplug and I1 designates a trap having the drain plug l8 and communicatingthrough the outlet IS with any suitable drain pipe 20. 2| designates apartition extending downwardly through the trap I! for the purpose ofretarding the flow of water and permitting the collection of sediment inthe bottom of the trap H. The horizontal extension l2 of the overflowpipe is in itself secured to the bottom of the basin by any suitablemeans 23.

The supporting bracket 25 is substantially T shape as best seen in Fig.6, and it carries the identical yokes 30, 3| and 32 which willhereinafter be further referred to. The bracket 25, in addition to bebeing secured at 24 to the overflow pipe 5, is also secured by the bolts34 to the horizontal member 35 which extends backwardly from the splashwall 3. The drain operating rod 1, after being deflected for convenienceof construction as at 38, is pivotally connected at 39 to the operatinglever 45 which is fulcrumed at 4| to the central yoke 3|. In the yokes30 and 32 are mounted identical operating levers 40a and 402) which arepivoted at Ma and MI) and which actuate identical valves for controllingthe flow of the hot and cold water through the pipes 45 and 46. One ofthe identical valves referred to is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and'7 from which it will be seen that the valve consists of a stem 41pivoted at 48 to the juxtaposed end 49 of the actuating lever which, inthis instance, is 40a. The valve stem 41 is provided with a reducedextension 5!? .at the junction of which with the stem 41 is formed theshoulder 5|. Against the shoulder 5| abuts the plate 52 against whichrests the gasket 53 which has the pendant flange 54. On the other end ofthe reduced portion 56 is a similar plate 52a and a similar gasket 53a.The gaskets 53 and 53a are retained in position by the sleeve 55 and thewashers 55. In the bottom of the inlet pipe fill is provided a shoulder6| which limits the downward movement of the valve. From the inlet 60the cold or hot water, as the case may be, flows to the spigot 64 whichempties into the basin bowl I. Referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen thatthe valve is in its closed. position with no water permitted to passfrom the pipe 46 through the inlet 60 to the spigot 64. In Fig. '7 thesame valve is shown in its open position in which the actuating leverinstead of assuming the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2 is disposedat an angle to raise the gasket 53a and retaining plate 52a upwardlysufiiciently to clear the discharge end of the pipe 45. It will beunderstood that the extent to which the actuating lever 48a is deflectedwill determine the rate of flow of the water through the inlet 60. Withparticular reference to Fig. 7 it is pointed out that the valve 46a isprovided with the pendant skirt 66, which not only completely surroundsthe pivot point 48 to conceal it from view, but which also serves as asafety guard to prevent injury to the fingers or the ingress of foreignmatter. Thus, in the absence of the pendant skirt 66, there will be anopening formed when the actuating valve is tilted into which a child caninsert a finger with the resultant injury when the lever is again tiltedto its horizontal position, and which also permits entry of dirt or thefalling of rings or other items that may be placed on the horizontalextension 36 of the wash stand as often happens. It will understood thatthere is sufficient clearance to permit the vertical skirt 63 to move upand down when the actuating lever 43a is tilted. Since the actuatinglevers 43a and 49b and the valves connected therewith are identical, itis believed that a description of one of the valves is suflicient.Similarly, a pendant skirt 68 is formed at the edge of the upperhorizontal extension 36 which serves to prevent the formation of anopening at the left hand end of the actuating lever as viewed in Fig. 7when such lever is tilted to open the valve.

It will thus be seen that if the screws 23, 24 and 34, totaling six (6)in number, are removed, and if the water inlet couplings 69 and thedrain 26 are disconnected, the basin proper consisting of the bowl I,the splash wall 3 and the horizontal extension 35 is completely detachedand can be removed, or, if the basin is supported in a fixed manner onlegs or other supports by disconnecting the same elements mentioned, thedrain plug, the trap ii, the overflow, the valves controlling the waterinlets and the levers for actuating said valves and the drain plug, areall removed as a unit.

In my novel wash basin, therefore, there is only a single piececonsisting of the bowl I which has the back 2, the upper extension 3 andthe horizontal portion 33, which is provided with apertures forreceiving the levers operating the drain and the hot and cold water aswell as the overflow Q and the opening for the drain plug 9. All theoperating mechanism, as well as the overflow trap and their adjuncts,are removable as a unit by the detachment of six screws and thedisconnection of the two Water couplings. This is a great advantage fromthe standpoint of manufacture, installation and repair, and it reducesthe costs involved appreciably. Particular attention is directed to thefact that the levers 40, 46a and 48b for operating the drain and the hotand cold water supplies are completely concealed behind the upperextension 3 of the back wall of the basin and are flush with the top ofthe horizontal extension 36 so that there are no spigots or handlesabove or overhanging the basin as is now the universal practice. Wherethe spigot handles or other means for opening and closing the hot andcold water supplies, as well as the drain, project above that part ofthe conventional basin which corresponds to the portion 36 in applicantsconstruction, they constitute serious obstruction and leave parcticallyno room for placing the toilet articles that are used such as a razor,tooth brush, water glass, comb, or the like. Furthermore, theconventional spigots which are opened and closed by means of theconventional handle rotating about a vertical axis must be turned hardin order to close the spigot tightly and prevent leakage which graduallyresults in undue wear of the washers forming part of the valve thusnecessitating harder turning of the handle, which, in turn, results infurther wear and ultimately results in the necessity of replacement.Furthermore, a tightly turned handle is hard for a child to manipulate,whereas, in the present construction, the closing and opening of thevalve does not exert any pressure on the gasket, nor does it involve theuse of any power since the valve merely slides up and down in its casingand the pressure of the water against the oppositely disposed gaskets 53and 53a serves to distend these gaskets against the walls to preventleakage when the valve is shut.

It will be noticed that the opening 4, which is generally pear-shaped,as shown in Fig. 2, serves not only for the overflow but also for thespigot to project therethrough.

In the pedestal type wash basins, as opposed to the wall-hung type, thatis, basins in which the upper splash back 3 and horizontal extension 36are omitted, it is within the scope of my invention to position thelevers 40, 43a and 40b and their adjuncts flush with top edge of theback wall 2 of the basin. Since this pedestal type of basin, which lacksthe back splash 3 is conventional in design, it is not believednecessary to illustrate it in detail.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wash basin comprising as a unit, a bowl, an upper extension on theback wall thereof and a horizontal continuation of said upper extension,

there being openings in said horizontal continuation, and a phu'ality oflevers for actuating the water and drain valves of said basin mounted insaid openings and having their upper surfaces substantially flush withthe upper surface of said horizontal continuation.

2. A wash basin comprising as a unit, a bowl, an upper extension on theback wall thereof and a horizontal continuation of said upper extension,there being openings in said horizontal continuation, and drain andwater valve actuating levers tiltably mounted in said openings andhaving their upper surfaces substantially flush with the upper surfaceof said horizontal continuation.

3. A wash basin comprising as a unit, a bowl, an upper extension on onewall thereof and a horizontal continuation of said upper extension,there being openings in said horizontal continuation, a plurality oflevers for actuating the water and drain valves of said basin mounted insaid openings and having their upper surfaces substantially flush withthe upper surface of said horizontal continuation and pendant shieldsfor guarding the edges of said openings.

4. A wash basin comprising, as a unit, a bowl,

a back splash wall and a horizontal platform extending backwardly fromsaid splash wall, water inlets, valves for controlling the same,horizontally disposed actuating levers tiltably mounted in openings insaid horizontal platform for op-;

erating said valves, pendant shields on the edges of said openings nearone end of said actuating levers, and pendant skirts on the other end ofsaid actuating levers, whereby the respective ends of said openings areguarded during the tilting of the actuating levers in oppositedirections for openings or closing said valves.

5. A wash basin having openings in the top edge of a. wall thereof andactuating levers for operating the drain plug and water inlets of saidbasin mounted horizontally and tiltably in said p n n s.

ELBERT A. CORBIN, JR.

